Page 12 of Voices in the Stars (The Lost Witch #1)

“Where is she?” I snapped as I walked into the Fera’s house. The stench of rotten food assaulted me the moment the door swung shut behind me. My eyes closed as I smoothed out each face wrinkling reaction it caused. It didn’t matter.

After years of searching for her, it was finally over.

My father kicked me out of Kilrest in search of the missing witch.

She was supposed to have met him in Kilrest years ago, but got lost. I was supposed to escort her back home.

Now, the chase was finally over. The sooner I brought her back with me, the sooner I could return to what mattered. Killing him.

Every possible part of Feycrest had been searched through the years.

It had gotten to the point where he forced others to search with him.

This Fera, Klyn, was one of those poor few.

His wife and son sat in a hole in the ground with the others my family had stolen away.

My father and sister raided every small town on this side of Feycrest. All because I couldn’t find the witch fast enough.

That was how they threatened others to join my search.

Help us, or your family will die. My stomach twisted at just the thought.

I would never understand my father’s actions.

How could a man who’d lost his own wife treat others so cruelly?

I huffed at the thought. He only cared about himself.

Hopefully, Klyn’s family were part of the few still alive.

Klyn searched through the forest closest to his home. I had been a few towns away when I received his letter. He found her and was going to be bringing her here. I packed everything away that night to head here.

My boot tapped against the wood floor as I waited for Klyn to appear. Too much time has been wasted. I rocked forward, ready to tear the house apart myself when he peered from the hallway.

His fingers wrung together as he glanced between me and the hallway. Several times, his mouth popped open before closing immediately.

“If you have something to say, speak up,” I ground out, crossing my arms.

“I think I got the wrong girl,” he muttered.

“Excuse me?” I snapped, walking up to him.

My heart clenched with the way he cowered away from me. I took a couple of deep breaths before taking a step back.

“I thought you watched her for several days. Your letter sounded very certain,” I explained, keeping my voice even.

Klyn nodded, reaching into his pocket. “I was. She looks so similar to the drawing your father gave me. I thought it was her.”

I snatched the paper from his hands the moment he held it out to me. My body froze as I looked over it. I remembered this small painting. I was there when it was done many years ago. It was of a father holding a small child. What wasn’t captured was me sitting off to the side, waiting for her.

“The name she gave me is all wrong. I got it wrong,” he continued, hands reaching up to grasp his hair.

“No.” I cleared the lump from my throat. “You were sent looking for a dead girl.”

“I don’t understand,” Klyn stuttered, stepping back from me. “I did what he asked of me. Please. I need my family back.”

“You’ll get them back,” I promised, praying to the gods they were still alive, and I wasn’t a liar.

“This is some fucked up joke he’s playing on me.

If it’s the right girl, she’s part of the same coven, just not the same girl,” I explained, hoping to ease his fear, but it did nothing to fix the unease settling in my chest. The girl in that picture was dead.

I was there the day she died. The witch I’m here for now was simply in the same coven.

It seemed to work as he stepped into the living room, nodding. “She’s the right gal, then.” His voice was soft. “She set half the forest ablaze when some Kabora attacked her.”

“I thought you were with her?” I questioned. Kabora attacks weren’t something someone usually walked away from. They were easy to spot, but once they sunk their claws in, you were trapped.

“Well, it’s not exactly easy to rip a girl out of a magic bubble,” he mumbled, crossing his arms over his stomach.

One of my brows raised as I stared at him. Half of his words meant nothing to me. He was certainly exaggerating most of it.

“I had to turn into that man.” He pointed at the painting still in my hand. “Just to find it.”

“What are you talking about?” My brows furrowed as I questioned him.

“Your father. He told me to look like that man while I was looking for her. I thought it was some trust thing. But I was walkin’ through the forest, then suddenly I was in a different world.”

“What, did you find some mushrooms while you were out there?” I questioned.

“No. I thought I was losin’ my mind. I walked through some large bushes until I saw her.

Just sittin’ on a rooftop like she was waitin’ for me.

” His claws were frantically tapping against his stomach as he spoke.

“Tried yelling out to her, but she didn’t pay me no mind.

I came back, sent you that letter, and kept tryin’.

Got her attention as a child. Brought her out and now here she is. ”

“Okay…” I stretched out the word as I tried to make sense of it. “How many people have you told of this?”

“Just you,” he promised.

I nodded at his words. “Good. Let’s keep it that way. Where is she?”

Klyn pointed down the hall. “Locked her in the bedroom.”

My brows pulled together as I listened to him. He locked away a girl who knew I was coming to get her? Someone who I was willingly bringing to my father so she could help with the destruction of Feycrest? I sucked in a deep breath as I walked down the hall.

This girl wasn’t Nari. The fact that she was willing to work with my father proved that. I couldn’t afford to think she was going to be anything like Nari. No, this girl was obviously manipulative and dangerous if Klyn felt the need to lock her away. Further proof that I was doing the right thing.

Klyn shoved his way in front, unlocking the door for me.

I held my breath as I opened it, just to see her sleeping on the bed.

There was something dark being used as a makeshift pillow.

Her sandy hair was draped across her face.

Several strands stuck onto her parted lips.

I ground my teeth looking at her. The innocence on her face made my fists clench at my side.

It would take a single thought from her and Lachlan would be set ablaze.

That’s why my father wanted her home so badly.

She was a weapon meant to destroy Feycrest until everyone succumbed to her.

And she was here, peacefully sleeping without a care in the world.

Her embarrassment be damned. She wasn’t leaving my side until I made my choice.

Even if I had to carry her, screaming, back to Kilrest.

Each thudding footstep as I walked closer to her made me feel better about the plan I laid out for us.

I dug through the satchel at my side, pulling out the rope and burlap bag I had brought with me.

Neither would do much to prevent her from killing everyone, but it might help.

All I needed was to get her away from everyone as quickly as possible.

I would make her see the right side of this war, that she was going to be helping a murderer. If I couldn’t make her see the light, I’d kill her.